Hey there,
The official start of summer isn't until later this month, but I always consider the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day to be close enough. At some point this week, we will move the heavier jackets to the basement until they are required in the fall, and the same goes for some of my cocktail gear.
Toddy mugs are replaced with Tiki mugs as shiny julep cups slowly patina through use since their annual polish last month for the Kentucky Derby. We have some glassware that we consider "outdoor" safe that I only see during the warmer months as they can survive trips to the lake or the park as the lazily setting sun leaves time for one more drink.
Red plastic cups, which I never thought I would miss, don't symbolize college-style gulping and drinking games as much this year as they do catching up and spending time with friends we haven't seen in a year. Perhaps Solo Cup should consider changing its name to Together Cups for the summer.
Thanks for being here, and thanks for reading!
Let's get on with May's (slightly late) Review!
Shall we?
The Cocktail Doodle Review
Drinks From May
Last weekend I spent the day sitting in front of a smoker drinking cheap adjunct American lager while the ribs inside slowly cooked to perfection. I don't often reach for a beer, but five to six hours of outdoor cooking gets rather tricky when drinking Gin and Tonics for that long. However, I have had my share of those bitter gin elixirs already this year.
A few weeks back, my Cubs played an interleague series here in Detroit, and I managed to catch two games out of three. Ballparks have changed so much since I started attending games as a kid, and in terms of drinking, they have changed a ton since I have attended as an adult. Yellow fizzy beer used to be the only thing available, but now the options are endless. At first, it feels weird to sip on a Gin and Tonic while sitting on the third baseline, but that feeling passes quickly.
Honestly, one of my favorite long drinks for the heat is a Gin Rickey, and I will make many over the summer. On every trip to the grocery, I will toss a few limes in the cart just in case my weather app calls for heat. Before heading out to light the grill or perhaps a cigar, and especially after cutting the grass, I like to put together a Rickey.
It is a simple drink, and that is how I like them. The process takes about half a minute, but I enjoy the method, and as you know, I am picky about everything.
Step one is putting a bottle of gin in the freezer yesterday, so stop reading and go do that now, so you aren't caught with warm gin when you are ready for a Rickey. My go-to freezer bottle of gin was Beefeater for years, but last year, they sadly dialed the recipe back from 94 to 88 proof, and now when I see it in the store, I don't feel as drawn to it. That is silly, though, because I don't seem to mind Bombay Dry bottled at 86 proof or even Gordons at 80. My usual house gin, Tanqueray, sits proudly at 94.6, just edging out Bombay Saphire and most others, but I save that for Martinis, and for a Rickey, it's nice to save a few bucks and go with something else.
When you are sure your gin is good and frozen (it will look syrupy in the bottle), grab a tall glass and drop one chunk of ice into the bottom of the cup. Pour a measure of your frozen gin over the ice cube; I usually pour a bit shy with these for some reason, around 45 ml/1.5 oz. I am not looking to get drunk, just a cool down, and I'll probably have two.
Then with a sharp knife, slice a lime in half. I am generally making two drinks at a time; I swear my wife can hear me cut a lime from a mile away, but if it's just you, you will only need half of the lime. Save the other half for the second one! Squeeze one of the lime halves either by hand or mechanically over the gin and ice, drop the hull into the glass, and then sandwich it with one more piece of ice.
Now, that piece of ice you put in the bottom of the glass allows the lime hull to sit up off the bottom of the glass. If you are using a tall skinny glass and you drop the lime in without a piece of ice, it, more often than not, traps all the gin and lime juice at the bottom and makes for a crummy layered drink when it should be cohesive.
All that is left now is to fill the glass with cold soda water. I like to use a siphon, so it mixes everything up as I spray it in there, but in a pinch, any can or bottle of fizzy water will work fine; give the whole thing a jostle with a spoon when it is full.
Yeah, I guess you could open a Whiteclaw...but where is the fun in that?
Speaking of the canned seltzer trend, I will not mention new boozy seltzer flavors down in the "New Products" section. There are so many new ones every month, and they are a product that I don't consume. If there happens to be breaking news about a can of Truly Ice Tea Alcoholic Seltzer saving a kitten in a tree or something, I will make sure to include that in the "In Other (Booze) News" section.
Also, check out this guy on YouTube. I have been enjoying his videos for a few months to simulate sitting at a bar. You may have to deal with the language barrier, but cocktails themselves are a universal language—you will get the gist!
For more cocktails, check out The Cocktail Doodle Cocktails Google doc (updates coming soon!)
Current Reading
I picked up some really cool books this month, and I'd love to share them with you:
The Negroni: A Love Affair with a Classic Cocktail by Matt Hranek
If you keep up with menswear trends or watches, cigars, giant steaks, fancy cars, etc., you have come across Matt Hranek before. His first cocktail book focuses on the Negroni, his preferred cocktail, and it's a fun, quick read, or perhaps a great Father's Day gift if you already know everything there is to know about that red cocktail. Later this year, look for his second book about his wife's (and my) favorite cocktail, the Martini.
Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization by Edward Slingerland
I just picked this up and have only read the back of the dust jacket. I always enjoy books about alcohol through history and how we got to where we are today. This JUST came out, I've had it preordered for a few months, but I am excited to see what new writing topics it inspires.
New Products
Jim Beam debuts ready-to-drink highball cocktails
Dogfish Head Lemon Quest
CanBee Cocktails
Angel’s Envy to release limited-edition Kentucky straight bourbon finished in Madeira casks
Q Mixers unveils rebrand, new packaging
Buffalo Trace Distillery releases Col. E.H. Taylor Jr. Warehouse C Bourbon
High West Distillery & Saloon's Rendezvous Rye unveils limited-release label
Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer now in aluminum cans
In Other (Booze) News
Global alcohol sales fell 6% during the pandemic
Are Subscriptions the New Wine Clubs?
Adventurous Beer Drinkers Help Natural Wine Grow in Denver
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience to roll out first bottled bourbon from artisanal distillery during National Travel and Tourism Week
Where Photographers Drink
Buffalo Trace Distillery’s new warehouses help bring inventory to 1 million barrels of aging whiskey
Move Over Blanton's, These GWAR Whiskey Bottle Toppers are Monstrous
The 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition In Review
AB InBev: Carlos Brito to step down after 15 years as CEO
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. officially set a Guinness World Record
The Economics of Non-Alcoholic Spirits, Explained
The secret history of Angostura Bitters
Can the Ex-Master Distiller of Jameson Put Minnesota Whiskey on the Map?
Restaurant Closures Now at 14% Despite Apocalyptic Predictions
American Airlines extends suspension of alcohol services following Southwest flight attendant assault
Did Francis Ford Coppola Start the Japanese Whisky Boom?
The Complete Guide to Suntory Japanese Whisky: Important Brands and Bottles Explained
South Africa 2021 wine harvest: ‘A late and slow harvest was definitely worth the wait’
To Drink Wild Turkey Is to Understand Whiskey. Here's Why
Chicago Could Stop Liquor Sales at 10 p.m.
Gov. Whitmer Signs Legislation Expanding Sale of Canned Cocktails in Michigan
A Huge Scotch Distillery Just Hired These Adorable Detection Dogs for a Secret Project
On Site: The Stitzel Weller Distillery
Talk soon!
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Have a great month!
I’ll be on time for the next one!
2021 Cocktail Doodle Reviews:
Jan Review
Feb Review
Mar Review
Apr Review
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Email: hi@cocktaildoodle.com